Commanders digest

V4.15 jot ; 4

COMMANDERS DIGE

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE • WASHINGTON, D.C.

Vol. 4, No. 21

March 13, 1968

Atomic Energy Commission
Reports to Congress
On Nuclear Defense Efforts

The Atomic Energy Commission
has reported to Congress its portion
of the joint AEC/DOD nuclear de-
fense efforts for 1967 and some
projected plans and programs for the
future.

Working with the Department of
Defense, the AEC conducted basic and
applied research on nuclear weapons
and device development, test devices
and weapons and their components,
and produced nuclear weapons “essen-
tial to the maintenance and advance-
ment of the United States nuclear
defense capability.”

The report stated that during 1967
the AEC continued its programs in
the:

(1) Development and production of
nuclear weapons and components de-
signed to meet DOD requirements;

(2) Development of nuclear devices
and improved data acquisition sys-
tems and diagnostic instrumentation
techniques for underground testing;

(3) Readiness to resume atmos-
pheric testing, following the limited
test ban treaty safeguards; and,

(4) Participation in the DOD-spon-
sored nuclear detonation detection
(Vela) research project.

Weapons Development

A major effort in weapons develop-
ment is being devoted to new nuclear
warheads required by DOD. The
AEC laboratories continued to de-
velop advanced experimental tech-
niques in underground testing and
weapon components through the use
of new materials and fabrication
techniques.

Development of methods to improve
(Continued on page 2)

Army Researchers Seek Methods
To Improve Field Medical Care

The Army is continuing to seek
ways to improve field medical care.

Research is progressing in several
areas, and deployment of the Medi-
cal Unit, Self-Contained, Transport- 1
able, or MUST System, has proven to I

be

Gen. CK5
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advance

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Y. Ostrom,
h, told the
\ Committee
periencing
ssion ra-
ped units,
treated in

TST^iosjjitels ^re
per death-to-p!alrent;
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^ddition, no p^tien.

rhas developed Wsecondary in-
^ater development are
-■efement, dental sur-
gery, X-ray, pharmacy, hospital food
service and sanitation elements.

The general said a major surgery
problem in Vietnam is controlling
bleeding in severe wounds, rapid re-
pair of tissue, including blood vessels
and intestines, and inducing immedi-
ate arrest of bleeding in traumatic
lacerations of the lung, kidney or
liver. A cyanoacrylate adhesive spray
from freon pressurized cans has been
successfully used in Vietnam to halt
bleeding from otherwise fatal wounds
of these types.

Gen. Ostrom

DOD Seeks Doctors, Osteopaths
For Active Service in July

The Department of Defense has
asked the Selective Service System
to provide the Army with 1,070 medi-
cal doctors and 56 osteopaths for ac-
tive service beginning in July.

Defense officials said the annual call
is necessary to replace the doctors
“who began serving their two years
of obligated service with the Army
in the summer of 1966 and who will
be returning to civilian life this sum-
mer.”

He explained that continuing de-

velopment and clinical evaluation of
refined compounds of this type will
result in items that have the advan-
tages of speed and simplicity in re-
ducing mortality.

Gen. Ostrom said: rapid evacuation
to treatment centers in Vietnam has
resulted in the arrival of critically
wounded soldiers who, in previous
wars, would have died prior to treat-
ment. Despite nearly ideal condi-
tions, some casualties who by ac-
cepted criteria should survive, are

dying either before or after surgery.
An Army surgical research team in
Vietnam is studying these deaths to
(Continued on page 2)

Page 2

COMMANDERS DIGEST

March 13, 1968

Gen. Taylor Speaks
On Military Role
In Foreign Policy

Gen. Maxwell D. Taylor (USA-ret.)
told an Air University audience at
Maxwell AFB, Ala., the military has,
and will continue to, assume an ever-
increasing role in the national and
foreign policies of the United States.

“War and peace are the rightful
business of military and civilians
alike,” said the former chairman of
the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Presenting the opening lecture at
an Air University series on Asia,
Gen. Taylor said, “The day has passed
when military leaders must stick to
war and civilian leaders to peace.”

He said the nation’s civilian leaders
have recognized the need to blend
their diplomatic programs with valid
control of the military in the making
of foreign policy.

Commenting on the war in Viet-
nam, the former U.S. Ambassador to
South Vietnam cited the importance of
gaining home-front support of foreign
policy. He charged the military mem-
bers of his audience with this respon-
sibility, telling them “by their words
and their deeds they have the ability
to strengthen home-front resolve.”
He said this was essential to the
achievement of national goals.

AEC Report on Nuclear Defense

(Continued from Page 1)

and simplify command and control
procedures and to prevent the possi-
bility of unauthorized use of nuclear
weapons were also continued by the
AEC.

Weapons Production
The AEC report said the 1967 weap-
ons production effort, in support of
requirements, “was somewhat less

Field Medical Care

(Continued from page 1)

establish their causes and develop
more effective means of treatment.

Unusual changes in blood chem-
istry, electrolytes, and gases and mas-
sive accumulation of fluids in the
lungs have been found in the severely
wounded. Research is underway to
develop new lifesaving techniques to
conquer these survival challenges.

Gen. Ostrom told the committee
that in the field of social and behavi-
oral sciences a sample Army project
is titled Troop Community Orienta-
tion Research, and research is direct-
ed toward solving the age-old prob-
lem of fostering good relations
between a local people and foreign
soldiers stationed in their midst.

Armed Forces Strength Rises to Total of 3.4 Million

Numerical strength of personnel on
active duty in the armed forces rose
to more than 3.4 million in January,
according to preliminary reports by
the Department of Defense.

The sharpest rise — more than 69,000
— was recorded by the Army, 1,477,019
men, compared with 1,426,912 in Jan-
uary of last year. The Marine Corps’
strength rose more than 16,000 during
the year, from 280,189 to 296,837.

The Navy recorded the smallest in-
crease, with only 874 more men than
the January 1967 figure of 747,888.
Air Force personnel strength rose
from 902,385 in January of last year
to 904,062, an increase of 1,677 men.

than the 1966 workload.” Weapon
production activities during 1967 — in
addition to the production of new
weapons — provided for improved re-
placement systems, modifications to
existing systems, quality assurance
and new materials system testing, and
retirement and disposal of obsolete
weapons.

A $100.5 million project was au-
thorized in mid-1967 to provide the
AEC with additional production capa-
bilities with completion of the mod-
ernization and expansion of facilities
expected by late 1971. The program
will provide the facilities for expan-
sion of production facilities to meet
the needs for the antiballistic missile
system and other DOD requirements.

Vela Program Activities

The Vela program is a joint AEC/
DOD research and development effort
to improve the U.S. capabilities of
detecting, locating and identifying
nuclear detonations. Supervised by
DOD’s Advanced Research Projects
Agency (ARPA), the Vela program
is a three-prong project containing:

(1) The Vela Uniform Program,
which uses both nuclear and chemical
explosions to provide data needed to
evaluate the U.S. capability to detect
underground nuclear tests.

(2) The Vela Satellite Program,
which is designed to detect and iden-
tify nuclear explosions in space or
down into the atmosphere through
satellite-based systems.

(3) The Vela Surface Detection
Program, which uses a ground-based
system to detect nuclear explosions in
space.

COMMANDERS DIGEST

THIS PUBLICATION CONTAINS OF-
FICIAL INFORMATION, NEWS AND
POLICY, DIRECT FROM WASHING-
TON AUTHORIZED SOURCES.

Published semi-weekly by Armed Forces
Press Service, 1117 N. 19th St., Arlington,
Va. 22209, a unified activity of the Of-
fice of Information for the Armed
Forces, OASD(M&RA). Reproduction of
content is authorized. Suggested date-
line for materials used is WASHING-
TON (AFPS).

March 13, 1968

COMMANDERS DIGEST

Page 3

THE COMMUNIST COUNTRIES-THE U.S.S.R.

During the [past] year . . . the fissures within the Com-
munist world have shown no signs of healing. These divi-
sions, of course, have existed for some time, and it may
be that no influence short of a change of regime either
in China or in the U.S.S.R. can bring about the restora-
tion of even a facade of unity across the Communist
world.

Peking’s drive in opposition to Moscow has resulted in
greater Chinese militancy, and at times in greater mili-
tancy in Soviet policies as well. On the whole, however,
the strident behavior of the Peking regime has caused the
Soviet leadership — both Khrushchev and his successors —
to confront the fact that they, too, have an interest in
stability that has to be balanced off against continued
adherence to a revolutionary ideology.

Both strands are present in Soviet policy. The task of
creative statesmanship for the West will be to move Mos-
cow further in directions that we can call constructive,
while at the same time working to break down the Chinese
wall which insulates Peking from all outside influence.

Our own interests have not fared badly as a result of
the divisions in the Communist world. Both the Soviet
Union and Red China have suffered serious setbacks in
Latin America, in South Asia, in Indonesia, and in the
developing world in general, and each is devoting a large
share of its energies to its dispute with the other.

Partly as a result of Moscow’s increasing concentration
on domestic affairs and partly due to Peking’s defiance,
the Communist governments of Eastern Europe have been
able to assert increasing independence in many spheres,
and we may hope for the establishment of better relations
with the West.

Over the long run these bonds may ease the defense
problem for the entire NATO area; for the near future,
however, although Europe is comparatively free from
overt threats or pressures, current NATO force levels will
still be required to keep it that way.

Ideological Issues Emerge

Aside from the purely nationalistic component of the
Sino-Soviet dispute, a large number of ideological issues
have emerged, some of which are matters of indifference
to the United States. Of greater concern for us is the
Sino-Soviet dispute on how the “world revolution” is to
be achieved.

The Soviets since 1962 have generally taken a less mili-
tant approach, although they continue to affirm their sup-
port for what they choose to call “wars of national lib-
eration.”

The Soviet leadership has demonstrated some restraint
in their support for North Vietnam and in support of in-
surgencies in some other areas of the world. In Latin
America, for example, they apparently oppose Fidel Cas-
tro’s policy of externally supported armed insurrection,
choosing instead to compete for influence over the indig-
enous Communist parties and seeking to expand Soviet

presence and relations with Latin American governments.
The Red Chinese leaders, by contrast, enthusiastically en-
dorse Castro’s efforts to apply their highly touted doctrine
of “peoples’ wars.”

U.S.— U.S.S.R. Relations

There are, of course, many problems lying between us
and the Soviets, some of them old, some of them new.
Independently of their disagreement with the Chinese, or
perhaps because of it, the Soviet leaders seem to feel
impelled to support Hanoi in its attempt to expand its
area of control, and therefore are less willing to cooper-
ate with the United States in other areas of policy, such
as the mutual reduction of forces in Europe or in arms
control measures. It is likely that relations with the
U.S.S.R. could improve if Hanoi’s aggression in South-
east Asia were terminated.

In the meantime we must simultaneously do our best
to preserve the constructive aspects of our relationship
with Moscow, and to guard against counting on improve-
ments before they occur.

Conflict and Cooperation

The past year has seen increased Soviet assistance to
North Vietnam, but if it has bought Moscow any signifi-
cant political leverage, it has not been used to move
Hanoi toward a negotiated settlement of the Vietnam
conflict. Instead, its support has done much to sustain
Hanoi’s aggression.

Similarly, extensive Soviet military assistance to the
Arab states was not only unaccompanied by any effort to
steer them away from their reckless confrontation with
Israel in May 1967, but in addition there is evidence that
in the early stages Soviet reports on alleged Israeli in-
tentions helped trigger the crisis. Thus the Soviet Gov-
ernment must carry a major share of the responsibility
for triggering the short but explosive war which followed,
and subsequently for making more difficult the achieve-
ment of a Middle Eastern settlement.

At the same time, Moscow’s record over the last half-
dozen years includes:

• Its initiative to bring about peace between India
and Pakistan in 1965;

• Its generally constructive behavior during the Lao-
tian crisis;

• Its stance on the Sino-Indian border dispute.

• The Soviet leaders have also been willing to incur
the sustained invective of the Chinese in their negotia-
tions with us for an agreement to halt the proliferation
of nuclear weapons.

These are only a few samples, but they serve to point
up the mixture of conflict and cooperation in the U.S.S.R.’s
relations with the non-Communist world.

* Excerpts from the Defense Posture Statement recently
given before the Senate Armed Services Committee.

Page 4

FLARE

an:

COMMANDERS DIGEST

UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA

3 1262 09684 1712

March 13, 1968

Defense Dept. Announces
Procurement Conference
Second Round Schedule

TACTICAL

COMMUNICATION

SATELLITE

Tactical Satellite Communications Network

Air Force Moves to New Phase
In Satellite Communication Work

The Department of Defense has an-
nounced its second round of procure-
ment conferences for fiscal year 1968
will begin March 8 in Fresno, Calif.

Particular attention will be paid to
small business, labor surplus areas,
and the hard-core sections of unem-
ployment and underemployment dur-
ing the 17-conference program which
will cover 13 states from Florida to
California between March 8 and June
26.

The conferences are designed to
provide a single location for business-
men and potential contractors where
they can become acquainted with the
federal procurement and contract
process and have practical individual
discussions with specialists on busi-
ness opportunities in the Army, Navy,
Air Force and Defense Supply
Agency.

They will also receive counseling
on the activities of the Defense Con-
tract Administration Services, the De-
fense Documentation Center, the De-
fense Specifications Center and other
DOD organizations concerned with
prime contracting and subcontracting.

An item of special interest will be
the $30 million to $50 million in cur-
rent Invitations for Bid (IFBs) and
Requests for Proposals (RFPs), in-
cluding a number of “small purchase”
($2,500 and under) packages which
will be on hand with defense estab-
lishment counselors at the confer-
ences.

The Defense Department will be
joined at all conferences by represen-
tatives from several other federal
agencies, including the Department
of Commerce, the Small Business Ad-
ministration, the National Aeronau-
tics and Space Administration, and
General Services Administration.

In addition, the Post Office Depart-
ment, the Atomic Energy Commis-
sion, Veterans Administration, De-
partment of Interior, Department of
Agriculture and other agencies will
take part in specific conferences which
relate to their activities.

The Air Force is moving into a
new phase of satellite communica-
tions, following its participation in
the Initial Defense Communication
Program (IDCSP).

Appearing before the Senate Armed
Services Committee in late February,
Lt. Gen. Joseph R. Holzapple, Air
Force deputy chief of staff for Re-
search and Development, said FY69
funds are being requested to begin
development of an advanced commu-
nications satellite with greatly in-
creased capacity and longer life. This
will be under the Point-to-Point Satel-
lite Communications Program.

Gen. Holzapple said three or four
of the new satellites, in synchronous
equatorial orbit, would satisfy the
Department of Defense point-to-
point satellite requirements.

He said the joint service program
for Tactical Satellite Communications
is similar to the Defense Communica-
tions System in that the Air Force is
responsible for the space segment.

Tactical satellites are different in
concept from the point-to-point satel-

lites in that emphasis is placed on
accommodating many small, light-
weight, mobile terminals. This re-
sults in larger and more complex
satellites and greater power require-
ments.

The Air Force is requesting funds
in FY69 to complete the fabrication,
launch and test of such a tactical
satellite. This satellite will be placed
in synchronous equatorial orbit by a
Titan III launch vehicle.

Presenting background on satellite
communications, Gen. Holzapple said
the Air Force began development of
satellites for the Defense Communi-
cations System in 1964, and has suc-
ceeded in placing 18 working satellites
into near-synchronous orbit as part
of the IDCSP.

He added, “These development satel-
lites are providing operational space
links between 27 earth-based termi-
nals, including Southeast Asia. We
are scheduled to orbit eight more of
these satellites by the end of June,
thereby completing the Air Force
segment of this initial phase.”

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